For Ken Saro-Wiwa
that he was jailed
and tortured
and killed
for loving his homeland
the earth
and crying out at its
defilement is
monstrously unfitting
we live in unnatural times
and we must make
them natural again
with our wailing
for unnatural times
then become natural
by tradition
and by silence.
that is why the nations
today ring out
with injustice
with lies
with prejudice
made natural
the earth deserves our love
only the unnatural ones
can live at ease
while they poison the lands
rape her for gain
bleed her for oil
and not even attempt
to heal her wounds
only unnaturals
rule our nations today
so deaf to the wailing
of our skies, of the hungry
of the strange new diseases
and of that dying earth
bleeding, wounded,
and breeding grim deserts
where once there were
proud trees of africa
cleaning their rich green hair
in the bright winds of heaven
that he was jailed
for loving his homeland
and tortured
and killed
for protecting his own people
and crying out
like the ancient town criers did
at the defilement of the earth
is monstrously unfitting.
we live in an unnatural age
and we must make
it natural again
with our singing
our intelligent rage